Anatabine (uh-nat-uh-been,-bin) is one of the minor alkaloids found in plants in the Solanaceae family, which includes the tobacco plant and tomato. Commercial tobacco plants typically produce alkaloids at levels between 2% and 4% of total dry weight, with nicotine accounting for about 90% of the total alkaloid content, and the related compounds anabatine, nornicotine, and anabasine making up nearly all the rest.[1] These compounds are thought to be biologically active, and part of plants' natural defense system against insects.[1]

Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals (formerly known as Star Scientific), headquartered in Florida and with offices in Virginia, has been developing anatabine as a dietary supplement and as a drug.[3][4][5] The dietary supplements are known as Anatabloc and CigRx; the company has also marketed cosmetics with the Anatabloc brand.[4] Rock Creek has been working on synthetic methods to scale up production of anatabine and has funded pre-clinical and clinical research in several indications.[4]

The FDA has warned the company for unlawfully promoting CigRx and Anatabloc before anatabine was proved to be safe.[6][7]

In 2013, the company became embroiled in political scandal, when news broke that the governor of Virginia, Bob McDonnell, and his wife had received significant loans and gifts from Jonnie R. Williams Sr, the CEO of the company.[5] Williams resigned and the company changed its name at the end of 2013 due to the scandal.[4]